Candida and Leaky Gut have been linked to most of the problems that people experience every day. Anything from headaches, bloating, and weight gain to severe sinusitis and it’s even linked to asthma!
Fortunately, there is a diet that can be followed that will, in most cases, allow recovery from a Candida-related condition.
The problem with this diet is that it is highly restrictive in calories from carbohydrates. Some people, like me, need to follow a diet like this to avoid symptoms, at the same time that I am shrinking and losing weight every week when I follow it to the letter. In fact, I argue whether the complete low-sugar/low-carb diets that some people with Candida and leaky gut follow are worth it.
People like me who are quite skinny and have a hard time gaining weight are called ectomorphs. We require a higher amount of calories on a daily basis. The different body types are, in simple terms, ectomorphs, mesomorphs, and endomorphs. Endomorphs tend to always look for the next best weight loss diet as their body type retains fat and they can gain weight quite easily. Mesomorphs fall somewhere in the middle, they don’t pack on fat as easily as endomorphs, but they can also have a hard time getting rid of it completely. Then there are ectomorphs like me who could eat the entire bread supply in the world and still not gain a pound. So for an Ectomorph, their diet requires a high carbohydrate intake to keep their bodies with high caloric needs; otherwise, weight loss occurs much like an Endomorph can gain fat just by thinking about food. So a low calorie diet for an ectomorph would seem like a ridiculous idea. Although in the case of diets like the Candida diet, where the goal is to eliminate sugars and carbohydrates to kill off the overabundance of bad bacteria, this is exactly what the person does.
This is where the balancing act comes into play. On one hand, you have an individual suffering from Candida overgrowth with the need to cut carbs and cut out sugars. At the same time, if this individual is going to give up too many carbohydrates, he will be putting his body in jeopardy as his own health and energy will be compromised. As an ectomorph, I had the experience of ditching my carbs and sugars while following a Candida protocol only to find myself feeling even worse and rapidly losing weight, most of which was muscle mass. This was not the result of a healing crisis. This was a food crisis! I was chronically fatigued even worse than before, so when someone suggested that I had gone to the other extreme and was now experiencing fatigue due to lack of carbs, I decided to increase my carb intake again and the symptoms disappeared. Any diet can be changed, nothing is set in stone.
My point is that even a Candida diet protocol is not an end, it is everything to everyone. Every “body” is different, and no matter what the goal is, that should never be forgotten. Eliminating sugars is definitely a must as bacteria in the presence of sugar have been shown to rapidly grow up to 200 times faster! At the same time, your carbohydrate intake should remain stable! Not all carbohydrates are bad! Just eat the right ones. Stick with brown rice and eat more quinoa. I know some people say brown rice should only be eaten in moderation, but I say if you have a very high metabolism then NO. Now, with that said, if you eat brown rice and feel worse, don’t do it, but otherwise don’t deprive yourself either. Your body’s needs come first and foremost than what a cleansing protocol or diet may ask for! If your body doesn’t have more calories to burn, it will deplete all of its energy, and in the worst case, it can be dangerous for you over time!
On top of all this, you must be willing to take the time to cook your own food and prepare it to be successful on this diet. If you succumb to processed foods that are very high in sugar and artificial ingredients, then this entire diet plan will fail miserably. The key is to eat whole foods that are not processed, eat your carbohydrates from vegetables and grains. Again, just make sure they are the right ones, like I mentioned brown rice and quinoa, as well as amaranth and millet. Also, this sweet potato is an excellent source of carbohydrates, providing plenty of good carbohydrates, but the sugar content won’t make Candida as badly worse as processed sugar can. Just don’t overdo it, as it’s key to avoid eating too much of any food when you have this condition, as you’re much more likely to develop food allergies to just about anything. Of course, as if I didn’t need to mention it, you can never do too many greens. Try only quick steaming them if you choose to cook your vegetables. Which means no more than 1 minute of steaming and then taking them out before they lose too many nutrients.
So if you’re trying to do a Candida diet, suffer from leaky gut, or just doing a complete elimination diet. Keep in mind that carbs and grains aren’t ALL bad. Some are but not all. Just stay away from processed foods, just sugars like cane sugar and honey. Also avoid sticky grains like kamut, spelled, and of course wheat. With this, compare it to many vegetables and you will be on your way to success in regaining your health without worsening it!